SF Fashion Week 2011 – Emerging Designers Fashion Show Review

Compared to the grandeur of Mélange Fashion Show last week, Friday 8/12 showcase of SF Fashion Week 2011 Emerging Designers at Madrone Studios were very intimate and simple. And there’s nothing wrong with that. The ambiance was nice, light snacks and drinks were provided free of charge, and the fashion show started on time. YES! Overall, the emerging designers brought forth the goods and successfully reassured me that San Francisco fashion scene will continue to inspire the rest of the country (and beyond) for many years to come. Congratulations and huge thanks to SFFAMA for making this SF Fashion Week happen.

Without further ado, these are the designers that showcased their work on SF Fashion Week – Emerging Designers Fashion Show:

Primajiva

This eco-friendly collection clearly defines what it’s all about from the start. Linens and stretch knitted jersey materials (some of them bamboo) materialized into easy, casual garments with nice fit, silhouette, and calm colors. Despite its harmonious nature, the collection is able to make three stand-out pieces: the white linen ensemble with oversize collar (or was it a scarf?), the fitted “Bali” bustier top with black pencil skirt, and the black vest with brown maxi skirt. There’s only one outfit that baffles me: the greenish grey hooded, long-sleeve wrap top with scallop edges. I don’t get its chic factor, although I do love the beautiful model :)

Carole Wang

Primajiva started the ball rolling, but I felt like this Carole Wang collection dropped the ball a little bit. I like that it’s organic and eco-friendly, but I don’t get the differentiating factor beyond those aspects. Overall, the collection looks like a little step-up from your usual yoga ensemble, but its presentation lacks a punch and comes off as borderline boring.

Avni Trivedi for Avni Fashions

I first saw Avni’s collection last week during Mélange Fashion Show and I was expecting to get bored the second time around. Fortunately for me, I was wrong. Dead wrong. The collection is way more charming the second time around, and there were several new pieces to look at. She successfully retain the artisan quality of India and give them modern look and feel. Looking up-close, the fit and silhouette are as impeccable as always, and the accents on each garments are calculated to produce strategic “pops” in the overall mute color palette. I definitely still love the 1st look (brown dress) and the pants on the 3rd look, and now I add the obi belted dress and the gorgeous closing sari inspired dress to my list of Avni favorites. Very lovely.

Amanda Everest for Lucky Lu Clothing

Bold, flirty, pinup 50’s dresses brought out the charm in this vibrant, energetic collection. The circle dresses are fun, but I particularly like the high-waisted detail of the 5th look. The buttoned-front red skirt of the 6th look is also very lovely to look at, and the model just looked so happy in it. Well done.

Jennifer Ly

The strongest collection and fittingly the one chosen to close the night. Even the first look was a show-stopper, a sheer white dress with criss-cross and pocket details. This collection evokes easy elegance, yet sexy and confident, thanks to the fierce jewelry involved in the presentation. I love the shoulder chain jewelry, as well as the (excuse my lack of vocabulary) “back” chain jewelry. This collection is very strong and I can definitely see a lot of women wearing Jennifer Ly’s collection. Effortlessly cool without trying too hard to be edgy. Fabulous!